After last week’s snooze-fest that barely moved the story along, this week we have an incredibly dramatic and often poignant episode that cleans up some plot threads running all the way back to the pilot episode. And for the first episode in a long while, we spend no time in Woodbury or the prison as Rick, Carl, and Michonne head back to the Grimes’ hometown to find weapons to use against the Governor.
I can’t say much more without giving away major spoilers, and I don’t want to give away one of the best reveals of the episode as it sets up the entire rest of the episode. Just watch. And discuss.
The Good
Almost Everything.
Walker booby traps, including: (some favorites in invisotext) Rats on skateboards, barbed wire, and an ax connected to a tripwire.
Carl’s continuing growth and an awesome Carl + Michonne Teamup.
“Why do you need the guns, Rick? … You will be torn apart by teeth or bullets.” <— This whole scene was some of the best writing and acting on the show in a long time. During Talking Dead, Andrew Lincoln reveals that this was shot on his 39th birthday, and calls it the greatest birthday present ever.
A nice moment between Rick and Michonne near the end about being a little crazy.
And what I will refer to as “the parable of backpacker hitchhiker.”
The Bad
The initial encounter with walkers we get to see a single one get dispatched, but not the rest of the herdlet. It all happens offscreen like some Greek tragedy. Way to make zombie killing completely mundane. Although, in the overall context of the meaning of the episode, I wonder how much of that was completely purpsoseful. If so, well-played, Walking Dead.
The Ugly
Chris Hardwick’s tie on The Talking Dead was awful. And while Aisha Tyler was awesome, I feel like you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel with Scott Porter?
Zombie kill of the week: An over-the head backwards katana impaling. Always good to have Michonne around.
Overall, this was just a great episode. It was beautiful and self-contained, but it also moved the overall story forward. Having just rewatched the pilot “Days Gone By” a few weeks ago thanks to AMC’s Thursday black and white airings, it meant all the more.
3 1/2 stars
Go watch.